‘No ministerial positions for SLFPers joining the UNP’
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The president has decided not to allow SLFP MPs hoping to keep Ranil Wickremesighe in his premiership while obtaining ministerial positions for themselves from taking oaths in their positions, a senior SLFP minister told Sri Lanka Mirror.

BBC Sinhala Service too, has quoted the president as saying that he would not give ministerial positions for such SLFP MPs.

That is in response to a UNP proposal to form a single party government together with SLFP MPs.

However, a UNP minister said they would have to consider it as a violation of the constitution.

For a single party govt.

Following a meeting with the president last night (12), the UNP MPs met at minister Mangala Samaraweera’s home and discussed forming a single party government.

A UNP minister said no decision was taken that Wickremesinghe should step down as the PM, with the MPs stressing that the SLFP, which polled 12 per cent of the votes at the mini-polls, had no right to demand his ouster.

However, a senior SLFP figure said the president has told the UNP that the PM should be replaced by someone else in the party.

The UNP also wants the SLFP to decide if it remains in the government or not.

UNP ministers are due to have a discussion at Temple Trees tonight, after which they will meet with the cabinet.